The Altars of Individualism, Pt. 2
(continued from last entry)
I want to depart from this discussion for just a moment to talk about how what you believe and what you serve are not necessarily mutually exclusive. I think the real difference comes in the measurement. We live in a results-based world, and while that at times can be annoying, there is a usefulness in that approach. While beliefs can be somewhat vague, it is simple to figure out who/what we serve: All we need do is look at where we have invested our time, our materials, our talents and our resources. You show me someone’s investment balance sheet, and I’ll tell you what they believe. Beliefs without action behind them are valueless. (To prove this fact, I’ll use the example that is simplest: the church. It happens to be the one I know. There are plenty of people who say they believe in Christianity. At least some (if not a majority) of those people (apart from being dreadfully mislead doctrinally) demonstrate no tangible life investment in what they say they believe. These are the `cultural Christians’ so prevalently discussed in modern evangelical culture.) While the statement, “put your money where your mouth is” is a little contrived, there is a truth behind the concept-where your money is (and the rest of the things you invest–time, etc.) there your heart will be also.
Returning to my premise then, I believe deeply that everyone serves someone or something, and that everyone offers up portions of their lives on the altar of their choosing. And, again, as is the case with so many things, the difference is only in the currency and quality of that which is offered. Let me give you a couple of examples.
One type of person might say, “I serve my rational intellect.” What kinds of service might we expect from this person? What do they offer up on their altar? Well, obviously, they are going to spend enormous amounts of time in study, as a service to their intellect. They may spend time discussing intellectual issues with friends, family, colleagues, etc. They will spend their money to further both their conception of rational intellect and the collective intellects of people who share their view and ideology. We might also expect this person to sacrifice certain rights or abilities they have in the name of their intellect. If we take the stereotypical acolyte of the intellect-the nerd-we will find he has made a number of sacrifices. His physical body probably won’t intimidate anyone. His eyes, more than likely, will be poor from a lifetime of reading. And there are other sacrificed abilities and rights as well, but I will leave that search for you.
Another type of person might say, “I serve people.” The kinds of service this person might offer up are obvious: working in food pantries and with charitable organizations. They will probably offer up both time and money for causes that will further their view of the necessity of taking care of and helping people who for whatever reason are unable to help themselves. Again, we may see people of this type sacrificing certain things for their ideology: a nice house or car, or perhaps bypassing family requirements to help those more in need of aid. We can find examples of this kind of person as well, but again, I will leave the drawn out analysis here to you.
What’s my point?
I go through all of this to ask you do to something: look at yourself and figure out what or whom you’re serving. All the beliefs in the world don’t mean anything if they don’t match up with what or whom you serve. Without the correlation between the two, your life is a sham. Either your actions are a lie, or your beliefs are. There are a great many people in this world today, both secular and religious alike, who give lip service to something without having any real expectation of serving what they say they believe at all. We can all think of examples. While it’s not always possible to carry over 100% of our beliefs to the service of those beliefs in the everyday, it is important to be aware of what we stand. Honesty here is paramount. It will not do to tell ourselves elaborate lies or to brush off the question with a cheap answer. Where are you invested, really?
I have one final test for you today before I end this diatribe. Hopefully, if you take me even the slightest bit seriously, you’ve brought to mind what or whom you serve. Let me ask you this question: Would the people who know you (friends, family, coworkers, etc) articulate what or whom you serve in the same way you would? If they wouldn’t, what would the differences be?
My intention here was only to get you to think. If that has happened, than I have succeeded. Blessings.